Wang Shi (entrepreneur)

Wang Shi (Chinese: 王石; pinyin: Wáng Shí, born in 1951 Guangxi Province, China) is a Chinese businessman.

He is the Founder and Chairman of China Vanke, the largest real estate enterprise in China and the largest residential real estate developer in the world.^[1]

• 1977: Graduated with a bachelor's degree from the Water Supply and Drainage, Faculty of the University of Lanzhou;
• 1984: Established the Shenzhen Modern Scientific Education Equipment Distribution Centre ( the predecessor of "China Vanke Co., Ltd");
• 1988: Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Manager of China Vanke Co., Ltd;
• 1999: Resigned from the position of General Manager of China Vanke Co., Ltd

Current Positions and Public Titles

• Acting as independent directors for numerous publicly listed and non-listed companies.
• Part-time EMBA lecturer in The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
• Honorary Governing Councillor of China Entrepreneur Club.
• 2007-2009: Director of Society of Entrepreneurs and Ecology（SEE）

The SEE is established on 5 June 2004, founded and backed by over a hundred well-known entrepreneurs from high-profile companies in China; it is one of the largest non-governmental environmental protection organizations in China. In November 2009, SEE attended the Copenhagen Climate Conference on invitation of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and released "Our Hopes and Outlooks – Copenhagen Manifesto by Chinese Entrepreneurs".

• 1999-2002: Inaugural roster Chairperson of China Urban Realty Association

The China Urban Realty Association is established in December 1999, which is an open-forum strategic alliance jointly formed by influential real estate companies in China. Its mission is to build a market-oriented platform to foster industry disciplines and public confidence, guide and codify the workings of China’s real estate market through such higher level collaborations as information exchange, joint training, group procurement, syndication financing and cooperative development.

• Wang Shi’s business experience as well as his research results on the private sector of China has a wide impact in the academia home and abroad, relevant Chinese government agencies, and industry circles; meanwhile he is regarded as an authority on the practice of the Chinese private sector. In recent years, Mr. Wang Shi has been invited to present numerous public addresses, by Harvard University, MIT, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Chicago University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Peking University, Tsinghua University, China Europe International Business School, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business and other premier tertiary education institutions as well as organizations such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange, CSRC, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, China Real Estate Association, and U.S. Green Building Council.

He has been elected as the President of the Asian Rowing Federation for a four-year term, starting 2014.

Major Published Works

• 2006: "WANG SHI: Twenty Years with VANKE"
• 2008: "Let the Soul Follows the Footsteps"
• 2009: "The Wondering Spirit"

Honoured Awards in Recent Three Years

• 2007:

"The LivCom Awards" was the first time to set up a worldwide "Individual Achievement and Contribution Award" in its Global Final, with only one recipient. The objective is to honour exemplary individuals for their outstanding contributions in such global human habitation areas as "scenic improvement, heritage management, public participation, environmental practice, future planning". Vanke Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. Wang Shi won this award; as well as globally recognised as an "Oscar for eco-protection" tournament, "The LivCom Awards" competition is also one of the highest global honours in the area of urban reconstruction and community management. The competition activity is endorsed by the UNEP, and held under the auspice of IFPRA.

• 2009:

Wang Shi was honoured with the "China Brand Outstanding Contribution Award" in the "60 Brand Names in CCTV 60th Anniversary" competition, sponsored by China Central Television Network. The co-recipients of the award at the same time were the Chairman of the Legend Group Mr. Liu Chuanzhi and TCL Group Chairman Mr. Li Dongsheng.

• 2009: Vanke Chairman Mr. Wang Shi was entitled the "Business Leader of the Decade" of "2009 Annual Business Personality Award Competition" by CCTV. The award is held every 10 years by the CCTV to select most influential 10 business leaders around China amongst 100 award winners.
• 2010: Mr. Wang Shi is meanwhile chosen by "Fortune (Chinese edition)" as one of "The Most Influential 25 Business Leaders in China". And Mr. Wang Shi ranked 5th for being the "exemplary Wang Shi with independent characters who epitomises the sort of business ethics that are generally lacking in the real estate industry in China".

As a noted author, Mr. Wang Shi has at various times acted as spokesperson for VOLKSWAGEN Touareg, China Mobile Gotone, Ping An Insurance, TOREAD, Tourism TV, and Motorola handsets.

As an amateur for the mountaineering sport, Mr. Wang Shi has successfully scaled the summit of Everest respectively from the South Face in 2003 and the North Face in 2010, keeping the China record to this date for the most senior age to each the summit. He also successfully completed the feats of scaling the highest peaks of the seven continents and traversing the South Pole and the North Pole respectively in 2004 and 2005.

Addendum: Brief Overview of Vanke

‘’’Vanke’’’ is at present the largest professional residential dwelling developer in China.

Vanke

In 2009 the company recorded sales of RMB 63.42 billions, with net profits of RMB 5.33 billions. At the end of 2009, Vanke commanded a national market share of 1.66%. Its business reaches cover the thirty-plus cities economic spheres centred round the three major metropolises in the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Bohai-rim. In the past 25 years, the company sold a total of 260,000 property units, attaining worldwide top ranking for the number of property units sold. With philosophical notion as cornerstone, placing moral ethics above commercial interests are the most distinctive Vanke attributes. Vanke upholds the believe that maintaining its value baselines, refuting temptations of pecuniary interests, steadfastly adhering to using its own professional expertise to garner fair returns from the market is the unique philosophical notion espoused by Vanke throughout the thirty years of the Reform and Opening Programme in China. The company was awarded the honoured title of "China Most Esteemed Enterprise" on seven occasions on the strength of its corporate governance and ethical distinctions. From amongst the list of "2009 Most Highly Accolade China Companies", Vanke was honoured to have been voted into the "All-star List of 2009 Most Highly Accolade China Companies", ranking in number one position in the "Real Estate Developers" section. In 1991 Vanke became the second listed company traded on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. In 2009, the company was once again voted "Forbes" Top-50 Listed Company in Asia. Vanke currently has over 17600 employees. Since its founding, the company has consistently espoused the notion of "Healthy and Enriching Life" to offer on-going development prospects and opportunities for its staff, encouraging its employees to growing with the company. The company became the only property developer amongst the ten companies awarded titles of "2009 Best Employers in China" in the voting competition organised by the global HR Consultant Hewitt Associates. The company’s brand name has become widely recognized. In the "60 Brand Names in CCTV 60th Anniversary" event Vanke was awarded the honoured title of "60 Brand Names in CCTV 60th Anniversary".

Currently, Wang Shi serves as the Executive Director of The One Foundation, and an Independent Director for the World Wildlife Fund, Sohu.com, Inc., China Resources Land, Modern Media Holding, and Central China Real Estate. In 2011, Wang Shi was named by Fortune Magazine as one of "Fifteen Business Leaders Who've Changed China." ^[2]

Personal Life

The first fortune for Wang Shi was said from trading train goods and trading with Hong Kong.

From 2011 - 2013, Wang Shi studied at Harvard as a visiting scholar. He argued that his experience will help Vanke connect with the world and inspire more people to continue challenging their horizons.^[3]

Wangshi has no family members working in his organisation, and believes that position is achieved by merit and not blood.

Expeditions

Wang Shi loves mountaineering, gliding, seafaring. In 2001, he was awarded an honor from National Sports Authority, and in 2002 he was elected the vice-chairman of Chinese Hiking Association. He has made successful attempts on reaching the highest summits of seven continents from 2002 to 2004.^[4]。

In May, 2003, Wang Shi and a Chinese amateur team made a successful attempt on reaching the summit of Mount Everest. At the age of 53, he broke the Chinese record as the eldest Chinese national who has reached the summit of Mount Everest.^[5]

In April and September, 2005, he successfully trekked to the North Pole and the South Pole, achieving his goal of "climbing the highest summits of seven continents and reaching the North and South Poles."

In May, 2010, Wang Shi, at age 60, made another successful attempt on reaching the summit of Mount Everest, broke the Chinese age record he created back in 2003.^[6]

References